Italy Targets Distracted Pedestrians in New Highway Code

Italy's updated highway code will target pedestrians who stare at their mobile phones while crossing the road, as the country's transport ministry strives to improve road safety, the Guardian reported on Monday. The draft rules follow several court rulings that assigned blame for road accidents to careless pedestrians, marking a shift in how responsibility is apportioned between drivers and those on foot.

The move comes as Italian cities and towns grapple with the everyday reality of distracted walking, a phenomenon that has grown with smartphone use. Under the proposed code, pedestrians crossing while using their phones could face fines, a measure designed to discourage behaviour that authorities say contributes to avoidable collisions.

The Guardian's report noted that the updated code is part of a broader effort by the transport ministry to reduce road deaths and injuries. While the draft has not yet been finalised, the inclusion of pedestrian penalties signals a new emphasis on shared responsibility for safety, a departure from a legal culture that has often favoured the pedestrian in disputes with motorists.

For Umbria's hill towns, where narrow medieval streets and blind corners are common, the proposal carries particular resonance. Perugia, with its steep stairways and escalators, sees heavy foot traffic daily, and local authorities have long wrestled with how to keep pedestrians safe without curbing the region's walkable character. The new code, if enacted, would give municipalities a clearer legal basis for enforcing safe crossing behaviour.

The draft also reflects a wider European conversation about road safety and technology. Similar measures have been debated in other countries, but Italy's approach — grounded in court rulings that have already assigned blame to distracted pedestrians — suggests a legal framework that is adapting to the realities of the smartphone era.

Reaction from foreign press has focused on the novelty of the measure, with the Guardian framing it as part of Italy's ongoing efforts to modernise its highway code. Whether the fines will be enough to change behaviour remains an open question, but the signal is clear: the era of unchecked phone use at crossings may be drawing to a close.